Oiling system for sewing-machines



R. K. HOHMANN.

0mm; SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. I916.

Patented J My 29, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. K. HOHMANN.

OILING SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION min Mov. 3. 191m Patented July 29, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. K- HOHMANN.

mum; svsrem ron sswmc mcumss.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. I9IG- 1,31 1,817. Patented July 29, 1919.

3 SHEETS-$1; T 3.

RICHARD K. HOHMANN, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

OILING SYSTEM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Application filed November 3, 1916. Serial No. 129,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, RICHARD K. Hou- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, VVoodbury county, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oiling Sys tems for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to an oiling system for sewing machines and more particularly to such a system for high speed power driven machines. The principal object of the in- 'vention is 'to provide means whereby the sewing machine bearings are automatically or self-lubricated for a period of several days or weeks, depending upon the amount of lubricant stored in the machine. Other objects will be apparent from the description taken in connection with the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through a sewing machine equipped with the oiling system;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of such a machine showing further details of the oil in;; system; i

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line l-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on either of the lines 5-5 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 isa view to larger scale showing a detail also illustrated in Fig. 1.

Theoiling system herein described has particular utility in connection withhigh speed power driven sewing machines although it is not limited to this class. Here-H. tofore in factories employlng these 111261111188 it has been necessary to shut down at least twice a day in order to give the operator time to oil all of the bearings of the machine. Obviously, as unskilled labor is generally employed and as there are some.

forty bearings on a sewing machine, it is very often the case that one or more bearings are neglected or not properly oiled, resulting in damage to the machine and a reduced production for the factory. By means of this invention, however, lubricant is adapted to be stored in the sewing machine and conducted to the various bea rings thereof automatically so that the machine becomes self-lubricating. The advantages of such arrangement are thought to be evident.

The sewing machine to which the lubricating system is shown as being attached consists of the usual bed plate 10 carrying a frame which in turn comprises the hollow standard 11 having a tubular arm 12 and a hollow head 13. The usual main or driving shaft 14 is arranged in bearings 15 and 16 in the frame and has one end projecting into the hollow head and provided with counectiops for reciprocating the needle bar 17 and operating the take-up device 18. The needle bar is arranged to reciprocate in a 'top bearin located in an aperture 19 in the top wall of the hollow head and also in a bottom bearing 20 in the bottom wall of said head. The connections between the shaft 14 and the needle bar 17 whereby it is reciprocated may consist of any desired type and are shown as having the bearings 21 and 22. The take-up mechanism 18 may be of any suitable form and is illustrated as having the bearings 23 and 21. The head is furnished with a lubricating means whereby each of the bearings of all the mechanism contained in the head may be lubricated and also the main shaft bearing 15. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, a chanrber 25 is formed in the upper wall of the head and has arranged over and closing the same a sight feed oil cup 26 of suitable size. A duct 27 is formed in the said top wall to connect the chamber and the aperture 19 whereby the upper bearing of the reciproeating needle bar may be lubricated. Another duct 28 formed in the wall of the frame connects the said chamber 25 with a duct 29 which in turn leads to the bearing 15. The bottom of the chamber 25 is formed with a plurality of apertures audm conduit 30 connects'one of these apertures with the bearing 20. Another aperture has a short conduit 31 fitted therein which is adapted to conduct lubricant so that it will drop over and lubricate the bearings 21 and 22. A

third. conduit 32 is mounted in another aper-.

ture and arranged to feed oil to the bearing 24. Finally, a fourth conduit 33 is arranged to take oil from the chamber and conduct it so as to lubricate the bearing 23. It will thus be apparent that means is provided for automatically lubricating all of the bearings of the mechanism in the hollow head. Furthermore, this is done by a very simple and easily manufactured structure.

The top of the hollow standard may be formed with a chamber 34 which consists of a bottom having apertures therein and 1 side walls 35 which may project above the the said recess 39 and extending through each of the nozzles 38 is a duct or bore 41. Each of these ducts 41 is adapted to be obstructed by a rotary plug 42' which is arranged in the nozzle and transversely thereof, the head of the plug adjacent the removable plate 36 being formed with a slotted head 43 whereby the plug may be rotated by a screw-driver or other similar tool. The plugs 42 are formed with a transversely extending duct which isadapted to register with the duct 41 when the plug is in one position. Intermediate the recess 39 and the plugs 42 the member 37 is formed with-a seat for a rotary plug 44 which is provided with a series of ducts, one for each of theducts 41, so arranged that for one position of the said plug they will register with the said ducts 41. It will be apparent that by rotating the plug 44 by means of its handle45 the series of ducts 41 may be closed so that no lubricant can pass from the recess 39 to the chamber 34. The apertures in the bottom of the chamber 34 are adapted to have mounted therein a series of conduits whereby lubricant is conducted to the bearings of the mechanism in the hollow standard and also to the bearings of the mechanism carried by the bed plate. One of the said apertures and the bearing 16 for the main or driving shaft are connected by a duct 46 which may be formed in the wall of the hollow standard. Mounted on the main shaft l4.are the connecting rods 47 and 48, each of which is adapted by suitable connections to actuate. a rock shaft located under the bed plate. The bearing 49 between the head of the connecting rod 47 and the said main shaft is adapted to be lubricated by a conduit 50 extending from one of the apertures in the bottom of the chamber 34 to a point adjacent the said head. Similarly the bearing 51 at the head of the other connecting rod 48 is adapted to be lubricated by a conduit 52. As shown in Fig. 6, the connecting rod 47 actuates a rock shaft under the'bed plate by means of a toggle joint. The connecting rod 47 is connected to the knee of the toggle joint by similarly arranged with respect to the pivot 55. A conduit 57 connects the lubricant chamber 34 and a receptacle 58 formed in the bed plate 10.

A vertically arranged shaft 59 is carried in bearings 60 and 61 in the said hollow standard, and is adapted to be driven from the main shaft 14 by the bevel gears. 62 and 63. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, these gears are arranged in a housing 64 which is shown as being formed integral with the hollow standard and having the remov-. able cover 65 at the rear thereof, a portion of the edge of the cover-being shown by the dotted line. The cover 65 maybe reniovably secured in place as by screw 65'. As viewed in Fig. 1, this cover 65 is on the rear side of the machine. The housing is provided for the purpose of carrying a grease or heavy lubricant for the gears 62 and 63. The bearing 60 for the vertical shaft is lubricated by lubricant carried from the chamber 34 through the conduit 66and likewise the bearing 61 is lubricated by means of the conduit 67.

As previously mentioned the bed plate is formed with a lubricant receptacle 58 and as shown in Fig. 1 it will be noted that this receptacle is formed by walls cast integral with the bed plate and that it has a removable cover 68. Adjacent this receptacle the plate is formed with a gear housing 69 which may also comprise walls cast integral with the bed plate, and has a removable bottom 70 which may be held in position by screws 71 or any other suitable means. The vertical shaft 59 is arranged to project into this gear housing and a horizontally ar-- ranged hook shaft 72 has an end also projecting into the gear housing. These two shafts 59- and 72 are adapted to be connected for rotationby the gears 173 which are arranged in the gear housing and are adapted to operate in a heavy lubricant such as grease which'may fill the said housing.

The hook shaft 7 2 is arranged to rotate in bearings 73and 74 carried by the bed plate. The bearings 73 may be lubricated by a duct 75 leading directly from the lubricant receptacle 58. The bearing 74 has an annular recess 76 formed therein and oil'or lubricant is adapted to be carried to this recess by a conduit 77 connected to the receptacle 58. s e ly shown in Fig. 7, the end of the bearing 74 is formed with an annular groove 78 which is connected to therecess 76 by a duct 79. The hook member 80 of the rotary loop taking mechanism is mounted on the end of the shaft 72 in any suitable manner and is shown as being connected to a spider 8.1, the head-of which is formed with an annular groove 82 which registers with the annular groove 78 and has a duct 83 leading therefrom and arranged parallel with the shaft 72. An irregular duct 84 leads from the duct 83'and is adapted to conduct lubricantto the bearing between the hook member 80 and the stationary bobbin case (not shown), which is positioned within the said hook member.' The quantity of lubricant which is fed to the said hook mechanism may be regulated by the screw 85 which is arranged to control the flow oflubricant through the duct 79.

Arranged on the under side of the bed plate may be two similar rock shafts 86 and 87. The rock shaft 87 is adapted to be actuated by the previously mentioned toggle joint and has mounted thereon an arm 88 which by means of the bearing 89 is connected with the said joint. The said shaft is formed with a small bore or passage extending from end to end of the same and which is enlarged at the said ends to form conical seats for the cone bearing members 91, which are carried by the lugs 92 on the underside of the bed plate. The arm 88 may be provided with a duct 93 formed therein to connect the bearing 89 and the said bore 90 of the rock shaft. Adjacent the arm 88 a cup shaped member 94 may be formed on the rock shaft and its interior connected with the bore 90 by a passage 95. A conduit or tube 96 is arranged to connect the receptacle 58 with the said cup 94. If desired, this tube may have a wick arranged therein so that the lubricant will not be fed too rapidly. At the end opposite the arm 88 the rock shaft 87 may be formed with the two arms 97 and 98 which, through the bearings at the end thereof, are adapted to actuate the cloth feeding bar 99. The bearings between this bar and the arms 97 and 98 are each lubricated by a tube 100extending from the bore 90 and having at its end a wick 101 which is arranged around the bearing in position to lubricate the same.

The rock shaft 86 is very similar to the rock shaft 87 and is formed with a small bore or passage 102 extending from end to end of the same and enlarged at the said ends to form conical seats for the bearing members 103 and 104. Adjacent the bearing 104 the said shaft is formed with an arm 105 which is connected by means of the bear ing 106 with the connecting rod 48. This bearing 106 is adapted to be lubricated by lubricant carried from the bore 102 through the duct 107 formed in the arm 105. This rock shaft is also formed with a cup 94 which is adapted to receive lubricant from the receptacle 58 by means of the conduit 108 and a wick, if desired, may be arranged in this latter conduit. At the end opposite the arm 105 the rock shaft 86 carries an arm 109 which is adapted to actuate the feed bar 99 and has a bearing at 110. This bearing is adapted to be lubricated by a tube and wick 111 leading from the bore 102 of the shaft 86.

The rate of feeding oil to the various bearings may be regulated by turning theplugs 4 so as to control the size of opening in the members 37 or by making the 80 conduits of a size corresponi'ling to the quantity of oil which is to be carried to the bearings which they lubricate.

It will be apparent that a lubricating system is provided which is absolutely positive, will lubricate the bearings for a considerable period of time without requiring replenishing of the oil supply; is fool-proof and simple.

Although the lubricating system is shown and described in connection with a sewing machine of a particular construction, it is obvious that the invention is not limited to the details of the machine but is adapted for other types and other arrangements of bearings.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sewing machine having a hollow head formed with a lubricant chamber at the top thereof, mechanism in said head having bearings and including a needle bar reciprocable in a bearing in the top wall of the head, the improvement which consists of automatic lubricating means, said means in cluding a duct formed in the head and leading from said chamber to lubricate the bearing in the top wall and other ducts supplied from said chamber for lubricating the other bearings.

2. In a sewing machine, a hollow head formed with a lubricant chamber at the top thereof, an aperture for the needle bar in the upper wall and a lubricant duct in the wall leading from the chamber to the aperture.

3. In a sewing machine, a frame having a tubular arm, and a hollow head, a main shaft bearing in said arm, a lubricant chamber and a bearing formed in the top wall of the head, a lubricant duct leading from said chamber to said top wall bearing and another lubricant duct leading from said chamber to the bearing in the arm.

4. In a sewing machine, a hollow standard, a tubular arm connected thereto, a shaft arranged in said arm and having a bearing, a lubricant chamber adapted to hold a substantial quantity of lubricant formed in the top of said standard, a duct pivot on said arm.

6. In avsewing machine, a bed plate, a revoluble shaft having a hook mechanism at one end, a bearing in the plate for said shaft and contacting with said hook mechanism, said bearing formed with a chamber for lubricant, and means for conducting lubricant from said chamber to the hook mechanism.

7. In a sewing machine, a bed plate, a revoluble shaft having a hook mechanism atone end, a bearing in the plate for said shaft and contacting with said hook mechanism, said bearing formed with a chamber for lubricant, and means for conducting lubricant from said chamber to the hook mechanism, said means including ducts formed in the bearing and hook mechanism.

8. In a sewing machine, a bed plate, a revoluble shaft having a hook mechanism at one end, a bearing in the plate for said shaft and contacting with said hook mechanism, said bearing formed with a chamber for lubricant, means for conducting lubricant from said chamber to the hook mechanism, said means including ducts formed in the bearing and hook mechanism, and means for controlling the amount of lubricant passing to said hook mechanism.

'9. In a sewing machine, a frame including a tubular arm having a head, said head and the opposite end of the arm formed with chambers adapted to contain lubricant and means for supplying the various bearings of the machine with lubricant from one or the other of said chambers.

10. A frame for a sewing machine comprising a hollow standard and a tubular arm, and a gear housing adapted to hold a lubricant arranged in the interior of and integral with the frame adjacent the juncture of the standard and arm and provided with a thereof.

11. As an article of manufacture, a bed removable cover on one side plate for sewing machines',said plate formed.

with a gear casing at one end thereof opening downward and a lubricant receptacle' lubricant, conduits for feeding the lubricant to the bearings, and rigid housings formed integral with the machine frame. closely surrounding the gears and adapted to hold a lubricant for the gears.

13. The combination with a sewing machine having a bed plate provided with an oil receptacle, mechanism having bearings carried by said plate, a frame projecting upwardly from said plate including a hollow standard having mechanisms therein and an arm projecting laterally from said standard; of automatic lubricating means including "a lubricant reservoir at the top 'of the frame, individual pipes for conducting lubricant from the reservoir to the bearings in the standard, a pipe connecting the reservoir and receptacle and conduits for supplying lubricant to the bearings of the bed plate mechanism from said receptacle. I

ll. The combination with a'sewing machine having a frame including a vertical hollow standard and a horizontal hollow arm projecting from the top of the standard, a horizontal shaft in the arm, a vertical shaft in the standard, beveled gears reservoir at the top of the frame, a conduit from the reservoir to the horizontal shaft.

bearing, a conduit from the reservoir to the vertical shaft bearing, and other conduits to other bearings in the frame.

In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature.

RIOHARD K. HOI-IMANN. 

